WEEK 3

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 3

[It has begun. With the death of the Spinner and the execution of the Indulgent, they remaining Titled will be plagued once more by vivid dreams. And just as last week, they are awoken by the sounds of doors creaking open.

Just like last week. But no one had died last week. Right? No one had been subjected to that...thing.

And yet the strange, cold feeling of foreboding remains. And it is certainly most worrisome to those living in rooms 3, 4, 6, and 15. Those who pass by room 7 and 8 will feel that same, worrisome feeling of foreboding as well.

What will they wake up to find? Who knows, now. If dragons are real, anything is possible.

There are thirteen strangers in this place.]

Comments

[intercessing]

[They turn, their own glowing eyes looking at Maglor. Their response is quiet. Sad. Almost disbelieving.]

...I swear by the--I knew nothing of that creature's existence.

I would not have believed it yesterday, that dragons had still existed, had it not happened in front of my own eyes.

[bythewaves]

They are Morgoth's greatest creations. [ he says bitterly ] Cunning beyond all the others. I am sure they are still out there. Why did you stop me.

[intercessing]

I know nothing of a Morgoth.

[Their shoulders slump.]

...Tell me. In your world, if a dragon dies...does it stay dead?

[bythewaves]

He is the Dark Foe of the World, the first Enemy, and also the Last. [ Maglor says, and oh, such hate in his voice, old and carefully nurtured ]

That would depend on if Sauron got his hands on them. [ He says grimly ] Normally, yes - for they are beasts like any other, if far more cunning and powerful. But ... the Necromancer spread far too much of his poison. There are ways.

[intercessing]

....

A dragon...they do not work like that. Not that I can now remember. They are...beyond mortality. Even when their bodies are ripped apart, it is no of consequence to them. They are not really dead. They are...sleeping. They cannot comprehend death because they themselves...

...

I remember that now.

[bythewaves]

They say he bred the first from mortal creatures, twisting them and infusing them with the spirits of Fire who followed him.

[ A twist of his lip ]

It would make sense. The younger ones, probably not. But the first few...

[ Lowly, he chants their names, the elfbanes of old ]

Glaurung the Golden, Father of Dragons,
Ancalagon the Black, greatest of them all
Scatha the Cold, cunning and vicious
Gostir the Swift, who threw down Gondolin's walls

[intercessing]

All the dragons of here, are the sons of Time.

[They shuffle their feet.]

...Many thought dragons in our world had gone extinct. Indeed, I thought so yesterday. But no more. They...came back.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor growls lowly, a sound as inhuman as he is, in truth ]

But they can be killed, even if only for a time. [ Softly ] It would be worth it.

[intercessing]

...Perhaps. I do not know. It may not if there are other dragons waiting.

[There is reluctance in their tone.]

Yet...yet. I remember seeing...a real dragon. What we saw yesterday...

[They trail off.]

[bythewaves]

It always took Men to be Dragonslayers.

[ There is a cold, calculating light in Maglor's eyes ]

But one of the Eldar, properly armed... and once the Khazad knew what we were fighting, we all got good at bringing them down.

Was it a construct, then?

[intercessing]

'Dragonslayer?' That wasn't--

[They close their eyes.]

...I don't know what it was. It isn't like any dragon I can now recall. But...a construct...of what, though...to be able to make something like that, is it even possible?

...

There is nevertheless a name for those who can put an end to any dragon, even one such as that. But...I...I can't remember what that individual was called.

oh what the hell /borrows LOTRO lore

[bythewaves]

It is. [ Maglor hums, eyes still that cold silver ]

What the Necromancer raised - it was no dragon, but it looked and behaved like one, only without the power of dragon speech and enchantment. I am sure it could be done elsewhere.

The name doesn't matter as much, here. Only the ability. Can we?

[intercessing]

Ability...

[That. That word causes the Intercessor to stop. To stop and try to connect dots. They do try. They really do. But there is still something missing.

Their memory is still not complete. They...simply cannot grasp the answer even as it slips through their fingers.

Their hands are at their temples.]

No...I...I don't know.

[bythewaves]

[ The Intercessor might not, but Maglor's eyes narrow thoughtfully ]

They have meddled with your memory too. [ It isn't a question ]

But they said they granted us abilities here. One of us then. I wonder who.

[intercessing]

I have come to understand that as the weeks have gone...

...

I don't know. Would you have been granted powers to truly kill a dragon? Especially a dragon meant to execute you all? That would seem... too kind.

[bythewaves]

[ A flash of teeth that is too feral to be a smile.

(If any here knew Celegorm, they would have recognised the family resemblance) ]

Maybe. After all, which of us here is crazy enough to try?

[ But he has nothing to lose, does he? And everything to gain. His grandfather took on the Void Made Flesh, his uncle SatanMorgoth himself. Fingon and Feanor both took multiple Balrogs to kill. He has a reputation to live up to, after all ]

But more realistically, it would likely take more than one, acting in concert. Although it was always a single Man, who were the Dragonslayers. Earendil took Ancalagon, Turin slew Glarung, Fram Scatha. So it can be done. It only takes cunning and skill. [ And probably a fair bit of crazy ]

[intercessing]

...Yes. This is true.

[They run their hands through their hair under their cloak. Do they even have hair? It doesn't matter.]

I would hope there might be one like that among us. Or that all of us together might stop the creature the next time it appears.

[bythewaves]

I think it is worth the attempt. Although I would rather we not come to that point at all - can we access the room where it hides in other situations?